4 ms·

A lot of misconceptions here, unless I'm misreading your post. The seed control stuff is really just Monsanto being incredibly shitty at PR. See NPR[1]; also,

A lot of misconceptions here, unless I'm misreading your post. The seed control stuff is really just Monsanto being incredibly shitty at PR. See NPR[1]; also, in the past 10, 20 years or so, there's only been one lawsuit between Monsanto and farmers[2] (news flash: it was the farmers that sued Monsanto). Also, organic seeds get patented too, it's not just GMO seeds[3]. I also highly suggest you read William Saletan's article on GMO's[4] Another fun fact: organic doesn't mean evolution-based. Mutagenesis and specially-grown cultivars have become an increasingly popular way to produce foods that get the organic label; it's only really transgenesis (gene splicing) that you can't say is organic. To be clear: I'm not denying that there are despicable business practices out there (hell, did you know that there's actually a black market for stuff like olive oil and fish?), and that there is definitely something to be said for the US-EU split on the proper way to regulate GMO's, but organic is generally just a stupid concept. [1] (http://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2012/10/18/163034053/top-five-myths-of-genetically-modified-seeds-busted http://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2012/10/18/163034053/top...) [2] (http://www.cafc.uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/opinions-orders/12-1298.Opinion.6-6-2013.1.PDF http://www.cafc.uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/opinions-or...) [3] (https://www.geneticliteracyproject.org/2015/08/07/challenging-myths-yes-seeds-that-grow-organic-food-are-often-patented/ https://www.geneticliteracyproject.org/2015/08/07/challengin...) [4] (http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/science/2015/07/are_gmos_safe_yes_the_case_against_them_is_full_of_fraud_lies_and_errors.html http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/science/201...)

coldtea 10y ago
>The seed control stuff is really just Monsanto being incredibly shitty at PR. See NPR[1]; also, in the past 10, 20 years or so, there's only been one lawsuit between Monsanto and farmers[2] (news flash: it was the farmers that sued Monsanto). That's plainly incorrect. Since the mid‑1990s, Monsanto indicates that it has filed suit against 145 individual U.S. farmers for patent infringement and/or breach of contract in connection with its genetically engineered seed but has proceeded through trial against only eleven farmers, all of which it won. The Center for Food Safety has listed 90 lawsuits through 2004 by Monsanto against farmers for claims of seed patent violations. (Wikipedia) >Another fun fact: organic doesn't mean evolution-based. Mutagenesis and specially-grown cultivars have become an increasingly popular way to produce foods that get the organic label; it's only really transgenesis (gene splicing) that you can't say is organic. I already addressed that though. Natural mutagenesis is still evolution (heck, it's one of the very engines of evolution), and I'm all for slow methods to produce foods (even if they cross species) over gene splicing, especially with the current (BS) level of knowledge that the gene splicers have over the possible consequences of what they are doing and the lack of scientific rigor when big business are involved. >but organic is generally just a stupid concept. Don't disagree much with that. Also noted that I don't particularly care for food with the label "organic" (which is an industry on its own, when it comes to certification, higher prices, etc.). Plain ole food-stuff is enough.

coldtea 10y ago

>The seed control stuff is really just Monsanto being incredibly shitty at PR. See NPR[1]; also, in the past 10, 20 years or so, there's only been one lawsuit between Monsanto and farmers[2] (news flash: it was the farmers that sued Monsanto). That's plainly incorrect. Since the mid‑1990s, Monsanto indicates that it has filed suit against 145 individual U.S. farmers for patent infringement and/or breach of contract in connection with its genetically engineered seed but has proceeded through trial against only eleven farmers, all of which it won. The Center for Food Safety has listed 90 lawsuits through 2004 by Monsanto against farmers for claims of seed patent violations. (Wikipedia) >Another fun fact: organic doesn't mean evolution-based. Mutagenesis and specially-grown cultivars have become an increasingly popular way to produce foods that get the organic label; it's only really transgenesis (gene splicing) that you can't say is organic. I already addressed that though. Natural mutagenesis is still evolution (heck, it's one of the very engines of evolution), and I'm all for slow methods to produce foods (even if they cross species) over gene splicing, especially with the current (BS) level of knowledge that the gene splicers have over the possible consequences of what they are doing and the lack of scientific rigor when big business are involved. >but organic is generally just a stupid concept. Don't disagree much with that. Also noted that I don't particularly care for food with the label "organic" (which is an industry on its own, when it comes to certification, higher prices, etc.). Plain ole food-stuff is enough.